lài qīng dé赖清德：tái wān台湾zhēn xī珍惜hé píng和平，yě也yào要bǎo hù保护zì yóu自由
Taiwanese leader Lai Ching-te delivered a speech at the Double Ten Day celebration.
He said that Taiwan cherishes peace but will not give up freedom; it is willing to communicate with mainland China, but such communication should be based on equality and respect.
He said that increasing defense spending is not meant to provoke conflict, but to prevent war and give Taiwan the ability to protect itself.
He also believes that force cannot determine the future of the people.
In recent years, relations across the Taiwan Strait have been relatively tense, and mainland China has often conducted military activities near Taiwan.
Lai Ching-te has repeatedly called for dialogue, but Beijing has not accepted.
Taiwan’s main opposition party, the Kuomintang, believes that strengthening cross-strait exchanges can reduce the risk of war.
Beijing criticized Lai Ching-te’s speech, saying it would increase cross-strait confrontation.
Although different sides have different views, peace and security remain the issues that Taiwanese society cares about most.